Bicycle-saddle



(No Model.)

' T. J. KIRKPATRICK.

BICYCLE SADDLE.

No. 605,689. Pate'ntedJune 14,1898.

min mi 1 011; named UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

THOMAS J. KIRKPATRICK, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

BICYCLE-SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,689, dated June 14., 1898. Application file (l July 15, 1897- Serial No. 644,739. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. KIRKPAT- RICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Bicycle-Saddles, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to bicycle orvelocipede saddles; and the object of my inventionis to provide a saddle of the suspension type which embodies a spring-frame capable of a vertical vibration and at the same time having a soft or yielding pommel. I attain'this object by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, with the seat in section, of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, showing the seat portion in dotted lines.

Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in both views.

In the accompanying drawings, a represents aflexile seat, preferably of leather, provided at the rear with a suitable cantle a and at the front with a hook or clip o The saddle-frame consists, preferably, of a single fiat bar of metal I), which is formed into the shape shown, so as to embody two flat plates 79 b which, while not of the identicalformation,

are nevertheless substantially parallel one with the other and are joined at the rear by the circular spring portion 19 the upper and lower parts of which extend above and below the respective plates 6 19 or. that portion thereof which joins the circular spring portion 12 so that the connecting portion between the plates b b and the spring portion b stands within the circumference of the spring portion or on lines which if continued parallel would form secants to the circle or circumference of the spring portion.

The plates 1) b are connected together at the front ends by a coil-spring c, the ends of which are connected to the respective ends of the plates 19 b by bolts 0 0 The bolt 0 is preferably perforated at its head, which per foration is screw-threaded and adapted to receive a screw-threaded adjusting pin or rod d, having a headd and a collar d the head cl being adapted to project through the opening in the hook or clip of, which rests against the collar d the head d" being also preferseat on the plate I), the rear end of said seat being also secured to said plate I) by means of a bolt or screw 6, which passes through the plate 1) near the point where it joins the spring portion 19 and is screwed into the cantle a. It will be seen that by this construction the plate 1) forms substantially the saddle frame or tree, while the plate 17 forms the supporting-base, to which the saddle proper is connected by means of the spring portion 6 and the coil-spring c. The plate 12 is preferably formed with a curved portion 12 to which a clip f is applied, which clip is of the usual construction and adapted to secure the saddle to the saddle-post of the ordinary velocipede or bicycle, the curved portion serving the usual purpose of adjusting the inclination of the saddle.

By having the spring portion 17 of this saddle-frame b and the substantially parallel connecting parts which form the saddle frame or tree and the supporting-base, respectively, and having the coil-spring between the free ends of these parts and at the front br pommel end of the saddle, I provide a suspension saddle which is capable of a vertical movement and which at the same time has no proj ecting portion at the front, but has a flexible spring capable of a large amount of compres sion, which will permit the pommel end of the saddle to be depressed so as to get away from the rider in the event of meeting sudden obstructions, with the weight of the rider well forward.

The saddle thus described is not only simple'in construction, but it furnishes an extremelyeasy spring suspension-saddle for the rider who sits upright and brings his weight equally on the two springs. At the same time itfurnishes a saddle having a flexible pommel with no obstructions or projections in front of the same, which pommel will yield suddenly in meeting obstructions, and thus furnishes a spring-saddle especially easy to the rider who leans forward and brings his weight on the pommel of the saddle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination in a saddle such as described having a flexible seat, of a springframe formed of two substantially parallel plates connected by a circular body which lies substantially in the same Vertical plane with both of said plates but which projects above and below the points of connection with said plates, and a coil-spring connecting the free ends of said plates, said coil-spring being arranged beneath the pommel end of said seat, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the flexile seat, a spring-frame having two substantially par allel plates each forming the entire saddletree and supporting-base, respectively, said plates being formed integral with a circular THOMAS J. KIRKPATRICK.

Witnesses:

CHARLES I. WELcn, G. M. GRIDLEY. 

